Qiao Ge was one of the most popular of all qin pieces in the Ming and Qing dynasties, surviving in at least 54 handbooks, some with two versions.4 All are musically related, though there was a lot of development. The version in Zheyin Shizi Qinpu (q.v.) is clearly related to the one in Shen Qi Mi Pu, but the surviving volume of that book is missing some pages, including sections 1 to mid-way through 5 of Qiao Ge, so that version was not included in Music Beyond Sound.

Attribution is commonly made to
Mao Minzhong,5 no other handbooks sharing the attribution in Xilutang Qintong (1525), which has a very similar melody, to Zhu Maichen,6 a woodcutter of the Han dynasty who eventually became an official; there the preface says he wrote it to express his confidence in spite of difficulties

Perhaps the most famous woodcutter was Zhong Ziqi, who was able to understand the music of Bo Ya (see Gao Shan and Liu Shui. Fisherman and woodcutters have been idealized in Taoist thought as uneducated people with special knowledge, and they sometimes represent a life free from the cares of official work.

This is the earliest surviving "song" for any of the "four occupations": woodcutter (or fuel gatherer), fisherman, herdsman (shepherd, cowherd) and plowman (ploughman, farmer).7

Wu Wenguang has recorded his reconstruction from SQMP. Other recordings include those by Liu Jingshao (Jiao An Qinpu), Liu Shaochun ("typical Guangling school style"; implies a development from Jiao An Qinpu), Lin Youren (as previous), and Mei Yueqiang (same). These are very different, but a relationship can still be found.8

this piece was written because, when Yuan soldiers entered Lin An (Hangzhou), Mao Minzhong thought the times were not appropriate for himself. Wishing to imitate the deeds of former worthies, who went into hiding in the cliffs and valleys, he ran off into seclusion and did not accept public office. So he wrote this tune to attract like-minded people to go into seclusion with him. He himself felt no unhappiness about fleeing from society.

(00.00) 01. Happy to flee society
(01.13) 02. Looking down, aloof from worldly matters
(01.41) 03. Nestling in the distant cloudy mountain peaks
(02.26) 04. Entering the forest carrying an axe
(02.53) 05. Enjoying the Dao through books11(03.53) 06. Shaking out one's clothing on the high ridges
12(04.42) 07. A long howl echoes in the valley
(05.19) 08. Praising the (helpful) winds of Mr. Zheng
13(06.04) 09. A long howl out into the open air
(06.23) 10. Old age from being near an old pine tree
(06.40) 11. Dancing drunkenly down the mountain.
(07.29) --- harmonics
(07.43) --- (End -- but usual indication not given)

A detailed study of how and why these changes took place in Qiao Ge would indeed be very helpful for understanding traditional attitudes towards mode, especially in relation to qin. My own research has so far only given me time to make a tracing chart with bare information about each entry. It is my hope that someday someone will be use this index to engage in such detailed research.
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6.Zhu Maichen 朱買臣 (d. 116 BCE)
Zhu Maichen (14779.591 漢，會稽人，字翁子) was a Han dynasty woodcutter from
Kuaiji whose wife left him because she couldn't stand the poverty. Through hard study (one story says he read books while carrying firewood to the market) he became provincial governor. His wife wanted him to take her back but he wouldn't, so she killed herself (by hanging or drowning). He then regretted that he had turned her away. This story is told in several operas including 爛柯山 Lan Ke Shan (an outline of a 昆曲 Kunqu performance calling it Rotten Helve Mountain may still be online) and 癡夢 Chi Meng (Idiot's Dream). After raising to high office Zhu Maichen became involved in some intrigue and was executed.

7.Songs of the Four OccupationsMost commonly the four occupations ("四業 si ye") were seen as fisherman, woodcutter, farmer and people who could read (referred to here as 士人 literati). Thus, 18586.102 is 漁樵耕讀：漁夫、樵夫、農家、士人之總稱 (Yu, Qiao, Geng, Du: a general term for fishermen, woodcutters, farmers and literati. These four have been popularized in image sets (quadriptyches) sometimes referred to as "漁樵耕讀圖".

Compared to this there is 4782.128 四民：四種不同職業之人民也，指士、農、工、商 "four peoples": people in four distinct occupations, i.e., literati, farmers, laborers and business people (see also 5760.184 士、農、工、商). Elsewhere these may be called the 四業 four occupations, but for this 4782.637 has only 詩、書、禮、樂 poetry, books, rites and music.

As for specifically 漁樵耕牧 fishermen, woodcutters, farmers and herdsmen, 18586.xxx. Internet searches suggest this was never such a common theme in art (some quadritches on the theme of four occupations seem to combine farmers and herdsmen). However, in poetry there may be or have been a Four Poetic Narratives about Fishermen, Woodcutters, Plowmen and Herdsmen (漁樵耕牧四詠 Yu Qiao Geng Mu) by the female poet and scholar 郭真順 Guo Zhenshun (~1312-after 1371). Such a title is mentioned in this outside link. However, other searches mention only her 漁樵四詠 Four Poetic Narratives about Fishermen and Woodcutters. These four poems are apparently as follows:

9.PrefaceSee translation by Van Gulik in Lore, p. 92. For the original Chinese text see 樵歌.
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10.Section titlesFor the original Chinese section titles see 樵歌. Those of 1491 were apparently the same as here, but others are different.
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11.Enjoying the Dao through booksCompare the music here with that of Section 5 ("Climbing a mountain, near a stream") of Qiu Feng.
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12.Shaking out one's clothing on the high ridges (振衣仞崗 Zhen yi ren gang)
The Museum of History in Taipei
has a painting by 張大千 Zhang Daqian called 振衣千仞崗 Zhen yi
qianren gang, but 12407.xxx (zhen) & 384.xxx (ren
is a measure of about 8 feet, so 千仞崗 would be an 8,000 foot ridge).
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13.Mr. Zheng40513.80/2 鄭弘 Zheng Hong (see Hou Han Shu): a mountain
recluse of the latter Han, etc. Cihai relates story that once while
chopping wood Zheng found an arrow in the road. A stranger later came
looking for it and Zheng gave it to him. The stranger then revealed himself
to be an immortal and said he would grant Zheng a wish. Zheng wished
(since the mountain was north of the village), that in the morning
there be breezes from the south to help them on their way to chop, and
that in the evening there be breezes from the north, to help them walk
home. The wish was granted. (Van Gulik, op.cit. says the man was 鄭宏
40513.127, but it has nothing relevant)
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